The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) have partnered to develop a small uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) designed for multi-role intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The new platform will be low-cost, modular, and payload-flexible, enabling a range of mission profiles. To support local industry, GA-ASI has selected VDL Defentec, a Dutch company specializing in military and special-purpose vehicles, to manufacture the aircraft and contribute expertise in design, production, and logistics support.
The collaboration also includes plans to establish UAS manufacturing capability in the Netherlands and expand for high-volume production. The prototype is expected to achieve its first flight by the end of this year, with low-rate initial production starting in 2026 in both the U.S. and the Netherlands.
